Alejandro Garnacho, who moved on loan from Chelsea to Aston Villa this summer, has struggled to make an impact with the club. In two months, he has played just 31 minutes across three substitute appearances and has been left on the bench for Villa's past four matches, including their recent 3-2 win at Tottenham. Garnacho, who joined Chelsea for £40 million last year, scored one goal and provided four assists in 24 Premier League games for the Blues last season, but failed to meet expectations. His performance at Villa has not yet convinced manager Unai Emery of his value. Garnacho’s situation is reminiscent of Youri Tielemans, who joined Villa in the summer but did not start a Premier League game until November 2023. Of Villa’s 10 new summer signings, only Joao Gomes started the opening game, with just two others starting the next match. Garnacho has been left out of key matches, including the Carabao Cup win at Coventry, where Emery made seven changes. Instead, academy product George Hemmings, who joined Villa from Nottingham Forest as a teenager, has started well and is preferred. Ibrahim Mbaye, a £47 million signing from Paris St-Germain, also started against Coventry and is currently ahead of Garnacho in the pecking order. A facial injury in early August disrupted Garnacho’s pre-season preparations and caused him to miss the Super Cup defeat by Paris St-Germain. Emery acknowledged that Garnacho is slightly behind due to these circumstances and urged patience, saying, “Continue working. Work, work, train, work.” He emphasized that Garnacho is progressing but faces competition from other players. Despite this, Garnacho, who rose to fame as a dynamic teenager at Manchester United, has previously shown the ability to trouble Premier League defenses. He has spoken about the need to adapt to a “different club and a different place” at Chelsea, but a further season of struggle could be a setback. Villa’s interest in Garnacho was partly driven by the need for pace in their squad, with Crysencio Summerville considered before he moved to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal. Chelsea’s £117 million signing of Morgan Rogers from Villa left a gap that Emery needed to fill, and Garnacho became available. A positive relationship between the two clubs allowed for smooth negotiations, with striker Jackson also joining Villa from Chelsea for a record £65 million. However, Garnacho did not train with Chelsea’s squad under manager Xabi Alonso before moving to Villa Park in July. There is an obligation to buy in the loan deal, which is believed to be tied to appearances, and it is expected to be achievable. However, this does not guarantee a permanent move. Similar issues arose with Harvey Elliott, who would have triggered a £35 million move from Villa to Liverpool if he made 10 Premier League appearances last season. But he only played four times and was not signed permanently by Emery, raising questions about the risks of loan deals at Villa. Garnacho, who made his Manchester United debut at 17 and was part of Argentina’s Copa America-winning squad in 2024, has not added to his eight international caps since November of that year. Emery is waiting to see Garnacho fulfill his potential, but the winger must first earn the coach’s trust and then seize his chance.